Lifetime of Work
by roughewn
Summary: Was all her hard work worth it in the end?  Haruhi takes a look back at how she got to where she is today.  Sweet little one-shot.


Lifetime of Work

Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran High School Host Club or it's characters. Only this one-shot.

Haruhi gave a loud sigh as she sat down amongst the cushions on the floor. It had been a long day, well if she was to be honest with herself it had been a long few years. As she closed her eyes and laid her head back Haruhi came to the realization that she had not really rested since she first started at Ouran Academy.

Host Club had kept her busy and then some, not to mention her school work. Through it all her friends never strayed far. Even after the others graduated Tamaki made it a point to get everyone together every weekend for what he called 'family bonding' time. Usually at Haruhi's apartment, but sometimes they met at a restaurant or park.

Of course Tamaki would never let a year go by without a big vacation for all planned. Every summer the original group of friends went on a month vacation, going places near and far. That part always made Haruhi cringe. As much as she like spending time with them, it also meant no time to get in extra studies or work. Even with that thought in mind she wouldn't miss any single moment with them for the world.

She felt a small pang in her back and shifted her position to a more reclined one. Looking around the sitting room she smiled. Surrounding her where seemingly hundreds of photos of those she loved. It was truly the only room that was out of place in her own more traditional home.

That thought made her smile, her home. She worked hard for this very large place of her own. Haruhi was living in a traditional Japanese home within its' own little complex. She had become a 'rich bastard' just like her dear friends! The thought having finally dawned on her she laughed out loud. Gods, had she truly been so busy that she hadn't noticed her transformation from 'commoner' to 'rich bastard'?

Haruhi finally realized that she had. She suddenly felt very tired.

But then again, who wouldn't? After high school she was enrolled in the best law school in Japan with a huge scholarship she earned. Even with the scholarship however she would still be short on tuition. So against her better judgment she allowed the Hitachiin twins to use her as their personal model during her second year of college. They put their new design ideas on her, took pictures, and a time or two made her go to their school to model it for their class. The boys would give her working model wage telling her it was appropriate for her invaluable service. What they really had been doing was putting together a portfolio for not only themselves, but for Haruhi as well.

She had been furious the day Tamaki had shown up swearing he would watch out for his dear daughter in the cruel modeling world. After much talking to calm the flailing Tamaki she had been informed that the twins had announced that their lead model and inspiration for the upcoming Tokyo fashion show was her! The next four years had been a flurry of fashion shows, dancing lessons for her balance, and intense studying for her degree. She wouldn't have done it but the money paid for school and a little left over for her father.

Now, since Tamaki decided to become her agent all on his own, Hunny decided that she should not be unprotected and took it upon himself to be her bodyguard when she had to be at shows with the twins. Kyoya even got in on the action by going into another business venture with Tamaki. Which is how Tamaki got his own modeling agency. It was very successful and he was very good at it. Hunny and Mori opened up their own bodyguard training facility just to provide Haruhi with the best when Hunny couldn't be there.

After 6 years of school, being fawned over by the twins, protected to the point of smothering by Tamaki and Hunny, Haruhi truly thought she had earned a break. Until Kyoya made her an offer she was sure she couldn't refuse. Always the business man with money in mind he offered Haruhi her own law firm. The only stipulation being that his personal company be the firms' primary concern and that she would be the only one to personally see to all things pertaining to said company.

Kyoya's financial backing along with the exclusive rights to represent his company was a huge and daunting offer. She almost turned it down knowing how dangerous it is to work for Kyoya. In the end however, the shadow king won. Resulting in Tamaki's, Hunny and Mori's, and the Hitachiin twin's business interests being represented by her firm. Sure they all had family lawyers, but they all wanted their business's represented by those that didn't have claws in the family.

It didn't take long for the top student in college to realize she needed help. Haruhi found herself interviewing her former classmates for jobs at her firm and decided very quickly that this was a job for Kyoya. Nothing comes free from Kyoya and another deal was struck. He would interview and hire employees as long as he could screen potential clients.

Deal!

Haruhi's rumbling stomach pulled her from her reminiscing. She took the nearby phone and called the kitchen, asking for tea and cake. Smiling she set the phone down and noted that being able to do that was really kinda fun! Sure she had called on the staff before, but never quite like this. It was always to get her ready to leave town, or for work, or to get a party together. Doing it just because she was feeling tired and hungry was really just plain fun.

It was the kind of fun that she rarely got to have these days. I mean sure, traveling all over the world with the twins to shows was fun. And even being a model had become interesting. Doing her job really made her feel alive and being able to support herself and her father with NO worries was a feeling of joy she didn't know she could have. However, it was exhausting!

She had been Hikaru and Kaoru's muse since her second year in college and had only stopped doing runway shows for them this past year. She still modeled the clothes they made personally for her, but it was in the privacy of their workshop at home. Tamaki was almost too good as a modeling agent. He had turned out the most wanted and photographed woman and men in the industry worldwide. Tamaki was in it for the person as a whole to become amazing. He not only helps their modeling careers but requires them to be well educated for their future with no less than a four year degree in hand before they retire. As a result, her firm had a small team just for Tamaki. Then there was Hunny and Mori's venture. They where contracted by the government to train the secret police and bodyguards for officials. The government wasn't the only interest however and a few hand selected individuals were given the right to be trained and hired through Hunny and Mori's outfit to private people. They required a much larger team of lawyers that took up almost as much time as Kyoya's cases.

Haruhi laughed to herself when she realized that the friends that caused her the least headaches at work was actually the troublesome twins! Two of her best employees handled them easily, even when they where trying to play which one is Hikaru.

The only person that directly hadn't required any of her time or energy had been Mori. Sure he was part of the business that supplied her with bodyguards and she represented them. But it was really Hunny's thing, Mori was just along for the ride. Out of all of them he was the only friend to be just that. A friend. She smiled remembering the time after her very first runway show. She had gone back to the hotel absolutely dead on her feet. The after party had been long and Hikaru wanted everyone to meet her while Kaoru wanted her to change every hour. Tamaki had flamboyantly tried to get her to agree to more deals and Kyoya was lining up potential clients by the minute!

She had thrown open the door to the room, flung the ridiculous heels across the room and slammed the door shut so she could rest against it. In the brief silence she heard a deep chuckling and turned wide eyed to see Mori smiling at her from the kitchenette. He held up a her extra key card she had given to her only girl friend Renge and gestured to the bed where she noticed the softest looking pair of sweatpants and lounge shirt. Her smile was wide and genuine as she raced to grab the clothes and give Takashi a quick hug before hitting the bathroom to change.

Haruhi had been so tired that she hadn't bothered to wash her hair out or take off her makeup. She just came out of the bathroom and flopped on the bed. Mori had other plans. He flipped her over and sat her up so he could kneel in front of her. He began to take off her makeup and clean her face with things he had Renge get for him. Then taking her to the sink he plopped her in a chair and washed her over-styled hair out. Once satisfied he set her back on the bed, popped some popcorn, put in a movie he knew to be a favorite, and massaged her aching feet.

She had been so tired that she didn't have the brain power to even ask why he was doing all of it. She was just glad he was. It wasn't until the next morning when she woke to Mori laying beside her still as clothed as she was that Haruhi finally asked the burning question. Why?

His simple answer, because she needed it. Everyone else needed her, but she needed this.

Mori would always show up at the hotel or even her home if it had been a long day. Sometimes they would listen to music while he gave a neck rub, or talk while he made her a meal, even play a board game or two. Mori brought her favorite books to read on long flights and never forgot to pack fuzzy slippers.

Once before a show, when Mori had been assigned as bodyguard, he had kissed her forehead and nodded to the runway. It was his way of saying 'good luck'. It was at that moment that she knew that what she needed wasn't truly all the things he did for her, but him. Everyone else may need her, but Haruhi definitely needed Mori.

So, work in now boyfriend Mori into her hectic life. The craziness adds from there. School, modeling, boyfriend, friends; then wedding, opening the law firm, modeling, husband, friends; then successful law firm, modeling, husband, friends, getting her father married to an American and moved to states where they finally had a honeymoon.

All the stress is what had landed her here at home. The doctor had put her on strict orders to stay home and rest for the next month. No work period. Just as she heaved another lonesome sigh for what she considered her temporary plight, Mori walked into the room.

"Hello Takashi.", she smiled warmly.

"Haruhi.", his low voice replied. He walked over to her and knelt down beside her. Then placing his hand over hers which was resting on her stomach he pressed his ear to her swollen belly. "He's happy." Mori smiled as he looked at his wife while the baby kicked.

"Oh yeah he's full of it. You'd think he's taking cues from Hunny!"

Mori only smiled more. The child was very active and would be a handful. This would be the perfect opportunity for Haruhi to take control of her crazy life. "Stop modeling Haruhi."

She smiled, "I already did. Hikaru wasn't happy but Kaoru agreed as long as he could cloth me and the baby exclusively. They aren't even going to show any of the clothes in their line. It'll be like a gift to us!"

"We need to have more children."

Haruhi was surprised, "Why?"

"I might just finally be able to have my wife to myself before we're old."

All Haruhi could do was laugh at her good fortune. Her friends, her job, her father, her home, and the wonderful man that became her husband and the father to her unborn baby. His silent ways had become the loudest actions to her. Everyone else could very well go on to never need her again. She could not however, truly live without Mori.

Her lifetime of work was for this moment with her husband and soon to be born baby knowing that nothing could stand in her way.


End file.
